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Stepping Toward Your Goal – The SMART Goal Series

My Mom was right: Actions do speak louder than words. The pundits and experts talking about goals agree.

A bit more about SMART Goals: Some SMART Goal letters are interpreted differently by those using this format.

Some see the A step as Agreed upon which matters in a team, even a team of one. Others see the A as Achievable but to me that means Reality Based which is my R.

I view the A as standing for Action. One of the actions on a team would be getting agreement. Another action would be making sure the goal is realistic which means Achievable.

I prefer A to stand for Action. Why? If you want to get somewhere, you have to take the first step and then continue taking action until you get where you want to go.

Where thinking about my actions steps as lead to: As I have been working through this SMART Goal setting exercise, I have had to lower my expectations. I think that needs a bit more specifying.

You will remember I wrote this as my goal:

To make or raise $5000 in order to publish 10 eBooks and 4 paperback books using CreateSpace.

At this point I feel my goal needs to be changed: my current goal:

To see if I can start making more money by offering more Poster Coaches and at least 10 eBooks at the EFTI store.

What brought about this change? Thinking about why I have not completed a GoFundMe type application or spent the four hundred dollars I do have saved in my Emotional Fitness Training account to fund some of the help I need. That meant facing a bit of who I am.

I am a poorly funded Wannabe Perfectionist hampered by both Dysgraphia, ADD, and my version of Fun and Games – a social media addiction.

The Dsygraphia means that almost everything I write and send out to the world has errors. If you follow me on Facebook, you may noticed that I often end up editing even the shortest of my comments. Things like “now” become “not” and the other way around. I know some readers can translate my errors so my posts make sense. At the same time, errors turn others off.

Moreover, the errors shame me which leads to two reactions. Trying desperately to eliminate as many as I can or giving up on a particular piece of writing. So I have lots of stuff almost perfect, but just sitting there.

The ADD means I hop from one project to another which is not all bad, some do get finished.

My addiction to social media eats up time I could be using better. And that includes compulsively writing a blog post at least five days a week, sometimes six days a week.

Where is all this going? Well I need to think harder about the above and in light of it what goals I will realistically pursue.

Emotional Fitness Thoughts

I am writing this series of SMART Goal posts to help myself. Doing so has been extremely helpful if also extremely discouraging.

I share my personal struggles for three reasons:

I hope it makes clear we all struggle with one thing or another. and so reduces stigma about life struggles.

I think my struggles through better.

Finally, I use personal struggles try to share professional knowledge about coping with life.

Right now, I am struggling with my action steps. I have some in mind, but am going to work a bit more on them before sharing.

EMotional Fitness Tip

If you have been working along with me to set a SMART goal, do this until my next post in this series.

Review your initial statement about your goal.

Brain storm all, and I mean all, the steps you will have to take to get there to reach your goal.

List the steps.

Rate each step for your motivation to walk that walk.

Reaffirm or revise your goal statement.

I have been doing that as I have been writing these blog posts. For example, when it came to my first statement, the biggest one step would have been completing EFTI’s GoFundMe application. When I rated my progress, I might as well have been asleep; moreover my motivation for completing the application was at a two – “Not into it. ”

Then I had to figure out why I wasn’t into it. That meant looking a bit more into what I am into. I am in the process of doing that. More about that next time.

PRACTICE KINDNESS

Thank you for all you do. Thank me by remembering sharing is caring; so is liking, or commenting. Your caring keeps me going.

CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE

WordPress Daily Prompt suggested this: Keeping Up With the Jones:Tell us about the one luxury item you wish you could afford, in as much detail as you can. Paint a picture for us.

Well that should be pretty obvious – a rich investor who had faith in EFTI and would fund editing, proof reading, computer expertise, and marketing. Then EFTI could be all it could be and I could rest on my laurels, leave something for my children, grandchildren, and the great grands.

OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST

These links are for those not familiar with Emotional Intelligence or the idea of Emotional Fitness.